Ebert+Jacobi

Ebert+Jacobi GmbH & Co. KG is a German pharmaceutical wholesaler headquartered in Würzburg. It was founded on New Year's Day 1884 by Emil Ebert (1856–1906) and Philipp Jacobi as a wholesale business for chemicals, drugs, materials and dyes. Although Emil Ebert left the company within a few years and died in 1906, his name has remained part of the firm's name to the present day. For most of its history the company was a family-owned business, run into the fourth generation until 2016, and it grew into the largest private pharmaceutical wholesaler in Germany. The company's Würzburg premises were completely destroyed in the bombing of Würzburg on 16 March 1945, but business operations were provisionally resumed as early as July 1945, and reconstruction at the former premises in central Würzburg was completed in 1959. Expansion followed, beginning with a branch in Heidenheim an der Brenz in 1965. From 1987 onward the Ebert+Jacobi group grew through targeted acquisitions of private pharmaceutical wholesalers, including Spangropharm in Spangenberg (1987), Eduard Finze (2007), a stake in Holdermann in Baden-Baden (2004, increased 2012), and the Fiebig Ebert+Jacobi joint venture in Ludwigshafen (2014). The group also joined the Pharma Privat association of medium-sized wholesalers, adopting a unified umbrella brand system from 2009. From five locations the group supplied more than 2,800 pharmacies in Southern and Central Germany several times a day. In 2016 the group employed around 800 people, including about 80 apprentices, and generated annual revenue of roughly 750 million euros. On 1 January 2017 the Noweda Apothekergenossenschaft eG, headquartered in Essen, took over Ebert+Jacobi and its subsidiaries. With this acquisition, the Pharma Privat wholesale cooperation lost a third of its revenue and its nationwide coverage, and since then there have been no owner-managed pharmaceutical suppliers for pharmacies in the federal state of Bavaria. Ebert+Jacobi continues to operate as part of the Noweda cooperative group, which describes itself as the pharmacists' cooperative and, according to its own homepage, serves people with medicines together with local pharmacies.

Ebert+Jacobi was founded on New Year's Day 1884 by Emil Ebert (1856–1906) and Philipp Jacobi as a wholesale business for chemicals, drugs, materials and dyes ("Chemikalien-, Drougen-, Material- und Faarbwaarenhandlung en gros"). Emil Ebert left the company after only a few years and died in 1906, but his name has remained part of the firm's name ever since. Friedrich Jacobi, son of Philipp Jacobi, was intended as successor but died beforehand; his sons-in-law Fritz Müller and his brother-in-law Ludwig Schüller, who had joined the firm in 1923, took over its leadership until 1945. Shortly before the end of the Second World War, during the bombing of Würzburg on 16 March 1945, the company building was completely destroyed. Business operations were provisionally resumed as early as July 1945, at a time when medicines had become scarce and regional supply gained importance. Reconstruction at the former premises in central Würzburg was completed in 1959. Expansion soon followed, with the opening of a branch in Heidenheim an der Brenz in 1965 extending the delivery area. The Ebert+Jacobi group emerged from 1987 onward through targeted acquisitions of private pharmaceutical wholesalers. With effect from 1 January 1987, Ebert+Jacobi took over Spangropharm in Spangenberg, northern Hesse; that firm had been founded on 30 May 1916 by the pharmacist and chemist Max Woelm, also owner of the Woelm pharmacy in Spangenberg, as a wholesale business for drugs and pharmaceutical raw materials, moved to Eschwege/Werra in 1934 and returned to Spangenberg in 1946. In 2004 Ebert+Jacobi acquired 50 percent of the crisis-hit private wholesaler Holdermann in Baden-Baden, followed by a further 13.3 percent at the end of 2012; in autumn 2014 the Baden-Baden distribution centre was closed and the customer base sold for 2.8 million euros, while the Ludwigshafen branch was contributed to a joint venture with Fiebig. With effect from 1 July 2007 the group took over the private pharmaceutical wholesaler Eduard Finze GmbH & Co KG, founded in 1922 in Aussig an der Elbe in northern Bohemia (today Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic), restarted after expulsion and flight from 1948 in Schwandorf in the Upper Palatinate, and moved in 1994 with Christel Finze and Roland Eder to Pfreimd. Fiebig Ebert+Jacobi GmbH & Co. KG, based in Ludwigshafen am Rhein, was formed in 2014 from the merger of Fiebig GmbH & Co. KG and Ebert+Jacobi GmbH & Co. KG after years of successful cooperation. Ebert+Jacobi joined Pharma privat, an association of medium-sized wholesalers. From 2009 the wholesalers bundled in Pharma privat appeared under a uniform umbrella brand system, and Ebert+Jacobi and its subsidiaries received new company logos. Until 2016 the family business was run into the fourth generation and was the largest private pharmaceutical wholesaler. From five locations the group supplied more than 2,800 pharmacies in Southern and Central Germany several times a day. In 2016 the group companies employed around 800 people, including about 80 apprentices. With effect from 1 January 2017, the Noweda Apothekergenossenschaft eG, headquartered in Essen, took over Ebert+Jacobi and its subsidiaries. With the takeover of Ebert+Jacobi, which with more than 600 employees had last generated annual revenue of about 750 million euros, the Pharma Privat wholesale cooperation lost a third of its revenue and its nationwide coverage. Since then there have been no owner-managed suppliers for pharmacies in the federal state of Bavaria. Ebert+Jacobi continues to operate within the Noweda cooperative group, whose homepage describes it as the pharmacists' cooperative that, together with local pharmacies, supplies people with medicines.

• 2017

  Noweda Apothekergenossenschaft eG takes over Ebert+Jacobi and its subsidiaries with effect from 1 January.

• 2016

  Group employs around 800 people, including about 80 apprentices; last year as a family-owned business.

• 2014

  Baden-Baden distribution centre closed and customer base sold for 2.8 million euros; Fiebig Ebert+Jacobi joint venture formed in Ludwigshafen.

• 2012

  Further 13.3 percent of Holdermann acquired at the end of the year.

• 2009

  Wholesalers bundled in Pharma privat appear under a uniform umbrella brand system; Ebert+Jacobi and its subsidiaries receive new logos.

• 2007

  Takeover of the private pharmaceutical wholesaler Eduard Finze GmbH & Co KG with effect from 1 July.

• 2004

  Acquisition of 50 percent of the crisis-hit private wholesaler Holdermann in Baden-Baden.

• 1987

  Takeover of Spangropharm in Spangenberg with effect from 1 January.

• 1965

  Branch opened in Heidenheim an der Brenz, extending the delivery area.

• 1959

  Reconstruction at the former premises in central Würzburg completed.

• 1945

  Company building completely destroyed in the bombing of Würzburg on 16 March; business provisionally resumed in July.

• 1923

  Fritz Müller and Ludwig Schüller join the firm and later lead it until 1945.

• 1906

  Emil Ebert dies; his name remains part of the company name.

• 1884

  Ebert+Jacobi founded on New Year's Day by Emil Ebert and Philipp Jacobi as a wholesale business for chemicals, drugs, materials and dyes.

Largest private pharmaceutical wholesaler in Germany before its 2017 takeover; a regional full-range supplier to pharmacies in Southern and Central Germany, now part of the Noweda pharmacists' cooperative.

• Pharmaceutical wholesale distribution

  Full-range supply of medicines to pharmacies in Southern and Central Germany, with multiple daily deliveries.

• Spangropharm

  Subsidiary pharmaceutical wholesaler in Spangenberg, northern Hesse, acquired in 1987.

• Ebert+Jacobi Finze

  Subsidiary pharmaceutical wholesaler in Pfreimd, Upper Palatinate, acquired in 2007.

• Fiebig Ebert+Jacobi

  Joint venture in Ludwigshafen am Rhein formed in 2014.

1. 1Ebert+Jacobi – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
2. 2NOWEDA – Startseitenoweda.de
3. 3EBIRR-COOPay – Wikidatawikidata.org